


The Dawning of Another Day

by Duke_Clarence



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-24 09:18:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6148846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duke_Clarence/pseuds/Duke_Clarence
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>　　James Sirius Potter and Jonathan Clarke, leaders of two groups that survived in the end of the world after a catastrophic inferius outburst. Jonathan is the son of Muggle’s Mr. Prime Minister. Their paths crossed each other’s on the way of running.<br/>　　They had no idea if they’ll ever get to see the dawning of another day.<br/>　　But there’s one thing that James was absolutely certain about. He’s dad is coming to get him like he promised in his last letter before they lost contact---<br/>　　“Hope is the best thing you’ve got. Don’t ever lose it.<br/>　　I’m going to get you. I promise.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dawning of Another Day

When this national chao first started, it was just a couple of weird reports on the paper: “20-year-old tourist attacked by lake animal in southern England”.

 

Weird stuff like this happens every year and this tourist attack didn't get much attention of Mr. Aeron Clarke, Prime Minister of the Great Britain, when he first saw it on BBC breaking news. He thought maybe it’s just some really huge squid. The young tourist who insisted that he was bit by a “lifeless but strong grey zombie like thing’ might be hammered. That poor bloke had no idea what he was talking about. These days, everyone likes to make a fuss over nothing at all.

 

Next Monday morning when Mr. Clarke was about to enjoy a tuna sandwich in his office, his secretary Jenna called him. “Mr. Secretary of State for Defense is waiting on the line.” She said in her usual calm voice.

 

Mr. Clarke hated to be disturbed during his meals, even if it’s just a sandwich and a bottle of mineral water.

 

“This better be something important,” he said, “Put him in.”

 

“Mr. Prime Minister,” Antony Emerson was a stern, stout man in his 60s, and he sounded even harsher than his look, “I’m afraid you’ll need to pay a visit to Bristol.”

 

“Bristol? Why?”

 

“If you’ve been watching TV, you might have noticed something usual.”

 

Right, BBC evening news.

 

“That tourist attack?” Mr. Clarke frowned.

 

“It’s not just the attack, Sir, it’s what happened last night in the hospital. The young man….” Mr. Emerson paused a heartbeat, “turned into something and attacked more people.”

 

“What?”

 

“That hospital is overrun. That area is in quarantine and we are evacuating the city. Things are getting out of control.”

 

Someone knocked on the door. Jenna poked her head in and said pressingly: “Sir, Chancellor of the Exchequer is waiting outside. He said it’s something very urgent.”

 

“A minute.” Mr. Clarke said impatiently, and turned back to the phone, “Mr. Emerson, can you come to London and brief me the whole thing?”

 

“Sure, I’ll have Major Spenser and Doctor Wilfred come with me too. They know about more details than I do. We’ll come to Downing Street at 10.”

 

“Good.”

 

He hang up the phone, and called Jenna to arrange a briefing in a big meeting room downstairs.

 

“What time would you like to have this meeting, Sir?” Jenna asked.

 

“10.”

 

“But you have a football game to go to at 11. ”

 

“What football game?”

 

Jenna stared at him with her dark blue eyes.

 

“It’s Jonathan, your son.” Jenna said, “He was really looking forward to it.”

 

“Oh shit,” Mr. Clarke groaned.

 

“Do you need me to cancel this for you?”

 

“No, Jenna, maybe I will still make it to the second half. I’ll call him myself. God, he’s already pissed off at me for missing his birthday.”

 

“Good luck with that, Sir.” Jenna said with a sarcastic look in her eyes.

 

******

“Joe!” Emily came up to him in the cafeteria, looking excited, “is it true that you dad is coming today?”

 

Jonathan Clarke dipped his French fries into ketchup with a sullen face. He hated people at school talking about his dad and always make a fuss about it. He’s 15-year-old kid with dark eyes and thick, curly chestnut hair. He’s good looking enough, but he always doubted that girls at school were into him because he’s son of the Prime Minister. His dad’s been talking about sending him to a private boarding school for quite a while but Jonathan always hated this idea.

 

“It’s not a big deal, Em.” He said.

 

Emily sat down close next to him and kissed him. Jonathan didn't encourage this kiss ‘cus he didn't really feel in the mood. Actually he felt rather sick thinking about the game. Tt’s his first game since he became the captain. But everyone’s been talking about his dad. “Mr. Aeron Clarke is coming to our school!” “Yes, the Prime Minister himself.”

 

He hated this.

 

“Having a stage fright?” Emily said and slipped her hand under his jacket, “C’mon, you can do this. You are the best.”

 

“Yeah.” Jonathan said half-heartedly.

 

His phone vibrated on the desk. It was his dad’s text: “Gonna be late. Hope to make it to the second half.”

 

“I’m done here.” Jonathan grabbed his phone and the plate, got to his foot. “What’s wrong?” Emily stared up at him, but Jonathan didn't say anything else. He walked away without another word and dumped his French fries and pizza into the garbage.

 

He felt terrible.

 

He ran to the parking lot of the school, hid behind a wall and lit up a cigarette. His dad didn't know he was smoking. Well, his dad almost didn't know anything about him.

 

He put on his headset. Loud rock music filled his head and it made him feel better.

 

It started to rain. He didn't want to go back for Spanish, so he just stayed in the rain and smoked alone. He set the volume higher until he could feel the pain in his ears. He liked this. It gave him a funny feeling as if he was blocking out everything that sucked like hell in his life. He’s just himself. Not the son of some fucking Prime Minister.

 

Suddenly, He heard a gunshot. It was vague, but he heard it.

 

He looked up. At the entrance of the hospital building over the street corner, some people were running as if they were being chased by something terrible. They looked terrified.

 

Jonathan pulled down his headset, the usual noises became clear to him at once- smashing of glasses, women and children screaming and crying, and a man was shouting: “Run! This is not working. It wouldn't kill it. Just run!”

 

What on earth is going on?

 

Two women and a man ran across the street and rushed into his school. And then Jonathan heard something. Something was snarling and groaning.

 

His blood froze. He saw it.

 

A man in a surgeon’s coat was crossing the street. But he didn't look like a man. His skin was grey and wrinkled; water dripping from his sleeves and pants, and his eyes were as hollow as death.

 

Gunshot. Again.

 

Someone shot him right in his chest; blood splashed out and stained his white coat. But…nothing. He didn't stop and he didn't even fell. He just staggered a little bit because of the impact of the bullet, and it looked like he wasn't hurt at all.

 

“Jesus Christ,” Jonathan gasped with his eyes wide open, “is this a zombie attack?”

 

Thank god Jonathan had read enough zombie comics that he knew what to do. He didn't hesitate and ducked into the nearest building he could find: an outdoor store next to the lot.

 

The last thing he would want right was to get the attention of that dead walking thing, or zombie, whatever it was.

 

******

“Things are getting worse as we speak, Malfoy, there’s a report of inferius attack in the heart of London this morning. A Muggle high school was stacked!” in a meeting room in the British Ministry of Magic, Mr. Harry Potter got to his feet as he got angrier, “we all know that things could get out of control if you don't do something right now!”

 

“What do you expect me to do, Mr. Potter?” the Vice Minister of Magic said angrily, “Send a team of Aurors to muggle’s streets and cast spells around? Think about what you are asking me to do, Potter, you are asking me to violate the International Statute of Secrecy!”

 

Hermione Weasley cleared her throat before another round of yelling burst out in this room. As the Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, she was a very efficient and capable witch who was well respected in the Ministry.

 

“I don't believe this is a good idea either, Harry,” she said clearly and decisively, “You can’t just lead Aurors into the Muggle street and fight those hideous creatures. We don't even know for sure what those things are.”

 

“They are inferius! There’s no other explanation.”

 

“They are not like the inferius we knew before.” Hermione said, “You heard Mr. Hunter from Department of Mysteries and Miss Ellison from Department for the regulation of control of magic creatures. They are not the same like the ones Voldemort used in his time. Someone has changed them with some sort of dark magic.”

 

“Mr. Potter didn't come to yesterday’s briefing.” Percy Weasley whispered to her.

 

“Right,” Hermione said, looking tired, “I’m sorry, Harry, I must have forgotten.”

 

“It’s alright, we’ve all got a hell loads of stuff going on in our plates.” Harry said. He sat back and crossed his arms in front of his chest, still glaring at Draco Malfoy furiously.

 

“Mr. Hunter, can you please do some explanation to Harry?” Hermione said.

 

“No problem.” A tall, half-bald man stood up and nodded. His name was Liam Hunter, he worked for Department of Mysteries and only Merlin knew what was he studying all the time. The only thing people knew for sure is that he was an expert of inferius.

 

“The inferius outburst in the country this time is most alarming because we have good knowledge to believe that someone has modified them using ancient dark magic. We can’t say which kind of dark magic because our research is still in progress and strictly classified, but what I can tell you, Mr. Potter, is that 20 years ago, the inferius created and used by Voldemort bit and kill people. But that’s it, no more harm done. This time…”he paused a heartbeat, and Harry frowned at him, “they are contagious. And by contagious I mean anyone who was bit or scratched by these dark creatures would turn. They’d come back as inferius and attack more people.”

 

Nobody spoke. The meeting room went into dead silence.

 

“So……”Harry said carefully, he realized how bad things were and his fury towards Malfoy had stepped aside for more urgent matters, “that’s why this outburst was spreading so fast?”

 

“Excatly,” Hermione said, “Several cities in the south was not functioning any more.”

 

“What do you mean, not functioning?”

 

“What does she mean by ‘not functioning’, is that all of the public transportation, post and electricity system, stores, schools, hospitals, police station and everything were shut down.” Draco Malfoy said, he was very pale; as he spoke he was unconsciously touching his wedding ring adorned with a piece of expensive peacock blue gem, “In other words, southern England is lost.”

 

Harry looked up and very quickly shot him a vigilant look. And then he looked back at Hermione. She was holding a quill with one hand, and propped up her chin with another. She was almost as pale and weary as Malfoy.

 

“What is your next move, then?” Harry said with a deep and hoarse voice.

 

“There’s nothing we can do. Fire can repel those dead bastards but no weapons or spells we’ve known so far could kill them. I’d like to help the muggles as much as you do, Potter, but the truth is right now we can’t even save our own asses.” Malfoy looked into Harry’s eyes across the round table, “What we can do now, is to evacuate Hogwarts. We are planning to do this next Monday.”

 

“Any place with groups of people are dangerous.” Hermione said, “St. Mungo, Diagon Alley, here at the Ministry, and Hogwarts.”

 

Malfoy nodded: “I just gave an order that anyone getting inside the Ministry needs to be examined by a Healer thoroughly for inferius bits or scratches. And a curfew is enforced from today; no one is allowed to stay here after 5.”

 

“Are there any reports of outburst from St. Mungo and Diagon Alley?” Harry asked.

 

“Not yet, but I am going to issue a official inferius warning to people and ask them to stay away from public crowded places. Mr. Hunter….” Malfoy looked towards the inferius expert, “Can you go with my assistant and add anything you see fit into the warning.”

 

“Sure, Sir.” Mr. Hunter nodded, and left the room with Malfoy’s assistant.

 

“People are going to get their kids back home as soon as we issue the warning,” Harry said, “It’s going to be a big mess.”

 

“And that’s why I’m suggesting you get to your kids today. Before everyone knows.”

 

“What?”

 

“You heard me, Potter.” Malfoy said coldly. He looked at the three people in the meeting room with a light of irony on his lips, and continued: “What? Are you expecting me to play the role of a savior like you did 20 years ago? I’m sorry, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.”

 

“So basically, you are telling me that we should save our own children before other parents could get theirs from the school, because we are among the privileged class?” Harry retorted without hiding his despise for Malfoy, “No, thank you. While you sit here, thinking about nothing but the safety of your own, I have a lot of work to do. I’m going to make sure that the whole school is evacuated and not one’s child is gonna get hurt.”

 

Harry fetched the parchments from the desk, got up and left the room. Hermione and Percy followed him and left too.

 

But Hermione hesitated at the door.

 

“Mr. Malfoy,” she turned back and said, bit her lower lip as if she was struggling to search for the right words, “How fast do you think the outburst is going to get out of control in the north?”

 

Draco Malfoy stood up and looked at her silently.

 

“I don't know.” After a short while, he said softly, “could be a week, could be a month, or just half a day.”

 

“This whole country is going down. We don't stand a chance unless…”

 

“Unless we figure out how to kill them.”

 

Hermione looked down at her own feet and became silent again. She felt weary and sad. A horrible feeling just hit her hard. When this sort of disaster happens, people start to panic and true human nature will reveal. Civilization falls apart, and she’s going to live in a barbaric world without humanity——if she gets to live. Everything is going to be all about survival.

 

No. She couldn't believe it. This horrible abyss in her head cannot happen. They are going to figure out something to save the day. They have to and they are going to.

 

“Look,” he said, “Potter’s going to make a grand plan of evacuation, trying to get all the children who couldn't get in contact with their families. But something always goes wrong in the chao like this. What if someone is already bit in the school? Once the outburst happens, it would be non-stopping and no one, not even Potter, could save them. If you don't get your kids out of school today, you are going to regret it.”

 

“You are a selfish asshole, just like Harry always say.” Hermione said, “I worry about my kids as much as you do, but I’m not going to do something that I can’t live with myself with.”

 

“Fine,” Draco smirked, “Then we have nothing to talk about. Good luck.”


End file.
